Morning mist blanketed the village, cool and heavy as silence settled over the forge square. Uther stood beside the flame pillars at the village's edge, reviewing the latest System reports.
> [New Recruits: 3 Adventurers, 2 Builders, 1 Hunter]
[Suspicious Activity Detected: Recruit "Thalen" – Inconsistent Records | Monitoring Activated]
[System Alert: Hidden Affiliation Flagged – Cult of the Hollow Flame]
Uther's fingers tightened around the scroll in his hand.
A spy… here? Already?
He turned, eyes scanning the newest arrivals. The village had seen an influx of strangers ever since word of the forge's light reached the southern roads. Mercenaries, wanderers, craftsmen… and now, one of them was a threat.
---
The Recruit
Thalen — a tall, quiet man with dark green eyes and a soft-spoken manner — had claimed to be a traveling builder. He'd been assigned light labor near the walls. He blended in too well. He laughed at the right jokes, asked the right questions… and offered nothing about himself.
Uther approached Mara and Reyna as they inspected the new gear.
"Mara," he said, voice low. "Keep an eye on Thalen. Shadow him. I don't want to cause panic, but I need proof."
Mara nodded. "You think he's the one?"
Uther's eyes narrowed. "The System doesn't guess. If he's with the Cult, he won't be acting alone."
---
Clues in the Shadows
That night, Mara tailed Thalen to the edge of the woods, where he appeared to be… collecting herbs. But she noted it — his movements were too precise, not like a novice. And worse, he dropped something beneath the roots of an old tree before leaving.
Uther retrieved the item after — a carved stone etched with dark glyphs.
> [System Analysis: Hollow Flame Sigil – Used to Communicate with Cult Cells]
Back in his quarters, Uther stared at the stone. His mind raced.
So he's signaling someone… but why hasn't he acted yet?
---
Setting the Trap
The next day, Uther issued a silent order through the System to Garrick, Reyna, and Mara.
> [Task Assigned: Covert Observation]
[Objective: Confirm Cult Spy and Flush Out Any Allies]
[Warning: Cult Cells May Be Armed | Prepare for Sudden Engagement]
Uther confronted Thalen indirectly, praising his work and even offering him a minor leadership role in wall reinforcement.
The bait was set.
That night, Thalen moved again — this time into the northern granary. He placed another glyph beneath the floorboards.
And that's when Reyna caught him in the act.
Blade to his throat, she slammed him against the wall. "You're not just some wanderer, are you?"
Thalen laughed, even with the knife at his neck.
"It's too late," he whispered. "The fire has already spread."
---
Ambush in the Night
A roar erupted near the edge of the village. Explosions lit the sky red — saboteurs at the southern wall. Cultists, cloaked in flame-sigil robes, charging with corrupted beasts.
But they hadn't counted on Uther being ready.
> [System Combat Deployment Active]
– All Villagers Alerted
– Defensive Runes Activated
– Combat Buffs Distributed
[Uther Skill: Tactical Override – +10% Coordination Efficiency]
Uther led the defense, commanding his trained recruits with flawless precision. Bolts flew from archers on the towers. Flamebrand blades cut through corrupted beasts. Garrick slammed enemies with molten hammers, while Reyna danced through shadows, cutting down cultists.
Thalen was bound and taken into the dungeons — but his grin never faded.
---
Aftermath and Discovery
The cultists were driven back, though the village took damage. The eastern tower had collapsed, and three workers were injured. But Uther stood strong, the villagers rallying behind him.
> [System Update: Spy Neutralized | Cult Ambush Repelled]
[Village Morale: +20 | Defensive Rating Increased]
[New Objective: Interrogate Thalen for Cult's Next Target]
Uther entered the cell where Thalen was held. The man looked up, blood on his lip but defiant.
"You don't understand, do you?" Thalen whispered. "This village isn't just a mistake. It's bait. And you… are the matchstick."
Uther didn't flinch. "Then let's see how brightly I can burn."
Whispers Beneath the Stone
The dungeon was silent, save for the crackling of a torch fixed to the cold stone wall. Thalen sat chained to the far corner, his robe torn and his face bruised, but his eyes… they gleamed with an eerie calm.
Uther stood before him, arms crossed, his presence unwavering.
"You said this village is bait. What do you mean?" Uther demanded.
Thalen chuckled softly. "You've built over the bones of something ancient, Uther. Something that was never meant to wake again. And now… it stirs."
> [System Notification: Deep Resonance Detected – Unstable Mana Pulse Beneath Village Foundations]
Uther narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about? The forge? The mana core?"
Thalen shook his head. "Deeper. Below even the roots of the forge. The old village wasn't destroyed by time or bandits… it was sealed. Buried under layers of earth and wards to keep it asleep."
"It?" Uther pressed. "What is it?"
Thalen leaned forward, grinning. "The Hollow Heart. A living mana seed, the size of a fortress. Raw, sentient energy. The Cult seeks to awaken it… and bind it. With it, we'll remake the world in flame and shadow."
---
Shock and Realization
Uther stepped back, thoughts racing. He'd always felt something off about the land—the way mana clung to the stones, how the forge pulsed unnaturally. But this was different.
A sentient mana seed?
The System pinged again:
> [WARNING: Subterranean Structure Detected Beneath Central Square]
[Access Denied – Requires Key: "Heart Sigil"]
[Quest Unlocked: Truth Beneath the Earth]
Objective: Investigate the Hidden Chamber Under the Village
Reward: ???
Risk: Extreme
---
Interrogation Continues
Uther drew closer to Thalen, his voice now calm but steely. "So what's your part in all this? A pawn? Or something more?"
Thalen's smile faded slightly. "I am the voice. The herald. My job was to signal the awakening… but now that you've opened the forge, the cycle has already begun. Soon the Heart will beat again."
Uther stared at him, then turned away. He had heard enough.
As he exited the dungeon, the torch behind him flickered strangely—briefly glowing with a violet hue.
---
The Decision
Outside, Reyna met him at the steps. "What did he say?"
Uther exhaled. "There's something buried under the village. Something ancient and alive. And it may already be waking."
Garrick and Mara joined them, weapons ready.
"What do we do?" Mara asked.
Uther looked to the System window still glowing beside him. The words burned into his vision.
Quest: Investigate the Hollow Heart
He clenched his fist.
"We dig."